


Priority

by MrVaughnne



Category: Free!
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-11
Updated: 2017-08-30
Packaged: 2018-11-30 15:47:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11466705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrVaughnne/pseuds/MrVaughnne
Summary: He watched the love of his life turn his back to him once more to seek out azure eyes and bluish-black hair. With every step the redhead took, he started letting go. Feelings that he knew are impossible to completely wipe out even probably for years but hell he had to try.As the door to their shared room closed, Sousuke opened a part of his life no longer revolving around Rin.





	1. Door

Again.

His plans for the night were thrown out the window.

_Sorry, Sousuke but I gotta go. Next time for sure, though. Everything will be on me so we’ll get even. I really just couldn’t pass this up._

Well, that would have been fine had it not been the _nth_ time that he had heard that promise before; on things that were brought by either the spur of the moment or things that required painstaking hours planning. Promises he should know by now are founded on castles on the sky.

He wonders what drives him so far, what pushes him despite the obvious that his feelings will never be reciprocated, what gives him the ladders to keep climbing up over and over again only to be shut out at the top.

Rin hummed a mindless tune, a smile plastered on his face as he started dressing up. The lightness in his feet present again as Sousuke wondered what it would take him to get Rin react like that.

_Something that you can never do_ , his mind tells him, _for you are not the one he wants_.

Usually, he wins these battles. Easy to brush off and turn into inspirations and challenges. But even the strong falters when faced with repeated and consecutive losses. So for the first time, he acknowledged the fact that this battle he had long been fighting is losing.

He watched the love of his life turn his back to him once more to seek out azure eyes and bluish-black hair. With every step the redhead took, he started letting go. Feelings that he knew are impossible to completely wipe out even probably for years but hell he had to try.

As the door to their shared room closed, Sousuke opened a part of his life no longer revolving around Rin.


	2. Soon

_I have decided to transfer to Iwatobi. The guys I’ve wanted to swim relay with – I found them!_

Nothing had changed. Transferring to the same school as Rin, being in the same club as Rin and even sharing a room with Rin did nothing to place himself better in Rin’s priority.

He was finally being allowed to be part of Rin’s relay team again but it seems like Rin had defeating Haru’s team the only thing in his head. So when they did won, Sousuke felt defeated; the real reason why he joined in the first place wasn’t met.

He still doesn’t fully grasp Rin’s obsession over the relay. He got the camaraderie formed by the sport and all but it isn’t the butterfly or freestyle that encompasses his dream. He just doesn’t get it and it irks him more that it just drags Rin over that expressionless Nanase again. He swims for the redhead, damn it!

It frustrates him that Nanase had somehow saved Rin with their relay event last regional’s and all his waiting and writing and watching over Rin all those years were overshadowed by just one act.

And all those thrown smiles, wandering gazes and leaving him hanging in favour for the other had Sousuke loosening his hope around the shark teethed.

_Oi, Sou! Just lock the room when you sleep and I’ll take my key. I swear that Haru’ll be turning us all into mermen if he keeps insisting us to always be on water!_

Rin’s voice was bright and perched with a pitch higher than usual. Sousuke notices that he is using his ‘best clothes’ too as his bestfriend labels. It was the third time this month that he wasn’t with the redhead on weekends. He is always busy with Haru this and Haru that or the Iwatobi guys this and Iwatobi guys that. It gets harder and harder to act nonchalant and although he has no holdings of any right to the Samezuka captain, he can’t help but get jealous. He had waited 5 years, darn it, 5 freaking years to have him again and he immediately left whatever it’s in Tokyo to be with the guy but hey, you can’t help it if you’re not the one he wants to spend time with.

On weekdays that they are free of requirements and done with club activities, Rin was bound to be at Iwatobi in Nanase’s or Tachibana’s houses or whatever that had Sousuke skimming for anything to keep him up at night just to be awake must the redhead return again late. And when his bestfriend finally does arrive back, he will be all dopey and shit with all his babbles about the fun they had and how he is ‘annoyed’ of the freestyler of Iwatobi. It will be the last thing on his sleep and the first thing the following morning.

He had long stopped planning them trips or hangouts together and dropped his surveying of newly opened shop that he could bring the redhead in. He realizes that for every rejection chips cracks to his heart and he knew that even his calloused hands and overworked shoulder would need to let go soon.

And he was surprised on how soon that was going to be.


	3. First

Rin thought that he had imagined it first. _Did he upset Sousuke?_

He first noticed it at their school’s pool. Usually, when he surfaces from the water, teal eyes were sure to be bound his way. He would climb up the pool and Sousuke will be meeting him with either comments or snide remarks. But yesterday at club practice, he was so sure he had his best time in butterfly and was about to flash his full on shark teeth when he realized that the teal eyes he expected were on his kouhai, showing hand gestures about treading the water.

_Huh, such a shame_ then, he just thought.

But again today that practice was almost over not once did red met teal when he was out of the water. Nor the other way around when his bestfriend  pulls out of the pool, Sousuke’s eyes would immediately fly to whoever was timing him or stand back up to walk at the launching board again.

It made him recall the events of this last weekend. He had gone back to their room as usual after the whole day at the beach with the Iwatobi guys when he turned their room’s door knob and found that it was locked _. Maybe Sousuke was out?_ He suspected but even that was a first – him going out or staying out later than Rin. It was the first time that he needed to fish out his keys to open their room, for Sousuke would always be awake when he gets back.

He was ready to go all slamming down his things when he realized that someone was lightly snoring in their room. He is here? _He must be really tired, then_.

Rin feels some knots slowly tightening in his chest but he shrugged it off as suddenly as they came.

_Rin-rin! Today will be at Rei-chan’s! He said he will let as have a taste of his perfect cooking skills so hurry! Haru-chan is kinda sulking that mackerel won’t be served. Hahaha :)_

Usually, he’d be replying instantly at the Iwatobi guys’ offer but tonight he kinda feels just staying with Sousuke.

_Come on, Rin! It’s not like he is doing something wrong, maybe he is just busy with the team given that they will be off next year._

_He took out his phone and began replying. Ok. See you guys later._


	4. Open

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I added an original character. Yeah.

“Sousuke-kun, is that all you could carry? Why not add 3 more piles, hmm?”

Koga.

Sousuke decided to take a part-time job at the weekends to take off his mind on things. His father was quite pleased at his decision and encouraged him to further familiarize himself to their family business. _Makes the employees closer to you_ , he said, _it’s good that you know the bottom first before climbing up_.

Not that Sousuke is particularly true in that but with his wrecked shoulder and a dim swimming career; he might as well start building anew. It’s not just avoiding Rin. No.

 _My world is no longer revolving around Rin_.

Koga was a high school student like him. Also decided to start testing the waters of their parents’ business and had a started a year earlier than him.

“Gets the job done faster. Don’t worry, I could take it.”

He took the box of papers that he would be looking into and transferred it to his designated corner. Koga just smiled and waved him off.

If Rin was all fire and side-by-side challenges, Koga was ember and trails of mystery and interest. It’s amusing to realize that Sousuke could actually stand somebody else other than Rin with their smirks and riling statements but then again it’s his first time to be this open.

He refused to let his mind wonder to what Rin is doing about now. He’ll probably still be back by tomorrow evening so it’s not like his avoidance will be very noticeable.

Sousuke place the box down and started opening them up.


	5. The Little Things

 “We did it, huh?” Rin smiled as he raised his hand to high five Sousuke. They managed to defeat the Iwatobi’s relay team and Rin was happy that his bestfriend was a member of theirs.

“Yes”, the bigger man replied with a slight upward tug of his lips. Said smile dropped after tilting his eyes sideways and after a sigh, he turned away from Rin.

Rin is confused. He knows that Sousuke is not one guffawing and spilling smiles after victories but for reasons, this upsets him more than it should. Even during their childhood days, Rin knows that he is quite privileged to be one of the selected few Sousuke graces with his smiles but Rin realizes that he is slowly becoming not one of those.

He can’t quite place it. Maybe because he had been constantly been showered by it that he forgot how lucky he was. And though Sousuke is not really doing anything, Rin feels a wall starting to form between them. Is it a wall or a gap?

He notices that every time he arrives at weekends now, the usual tell-tale signs of whatever Sousuke decided to entertain himself with are no longer present around the room. It’s not that his friend is messy but things like magazines, books, notes, mp3 at the top bunk, or a fresh pair of swim wears at a hamper will be present but it’s the third time this month that he spots nothing. And yesterday confirmed a suspicion when Sousuke arrived after he did and that was just before curfew hours; is his bestfriend doing something that he is not aware of?

Yeah, well maybe he has no right sticking into other people’s business but this is not just other people! This is Sousuke!

And although Sousuke doesn’t say anything every time he goes out but still...

Speaking of going out, he’d better start preparing or tonight’s dinner at Haru’s will be different and colourful selection of pure mackerel. They had decided to watch a new horror DVD release and he would not want anything related to food be flavoured mackerel, thank you very much.

“Sousuke, I’m going to be at Haru’s tonight. We’ll be watching the new released horror movie you were complaining about.”

Rin smiled recalling how Sousuke commented about the absence of physics and the dramatics of the movies to the overly enthusiastic Momo.

“Oh, then we both should take our keys then. I’ll be out tonight too.”

The redhead’s eyes widen. Where was Sousuke up to? Why is he even going out? Isn’t Sousuke a person not bothering himself with anything unrelated to his goals?

“Heh, finally out of your shell, huh? The whale-shark is finally partying at Friday night!” Rin managed a smile that seems to heighten the gnawing feeling at his gut.

“You seriously just noticed? I’ve been out on nights as much as you do these days.”

Rin knew that he should be ashamed being called out of his poor observation skills (or the underlying notion of doesn’t giving a shit to his bestfriends activities anymore) but ever the aggressor, he pushed on.

“Oooh, I am hurt. Is Sousuke having a new bestfriend?”

He knows that it is a topic he isn’t ready to discuss but he needs to somehow confirm it.

“Hah, very funny Rin. I’ll just be at Koga’s tonight on the plans for our work tomorrow”.

Oh. Right. Work. He doesn’t know why but his insides were showered with relief.

Rin vaguely recalls Sousuke telling him that he had a part time job at weekends but didn’t put a lot of thought into it. But like a domino block falling, realizations keep slamming down on him.

He and Sousuke barely hang out together anymore. Sure they are in the same class and spend the whole afternoon at club activities but never together alone. They are always seen together but the exchanges they could get is just when transferring classrooms, what lunch to buy and talk how long an hour could give them, and at club activities, he has a captain role to attend to and seems like the younger years had taken a great admiration to one of the top-ten butterfly swimmer of the country. At night they will be busy of academic stuffs and aching muscles or Rin will be caught up in Iwatobi or Gou. The weekend is their only chance but he had seemed to pour it out on the same things – Iwatobi or Gou.

And the knot in his gut can no longer be ignored.

“Oi, Rin. You phone keeps vibrating at your table, it’s gonna fall out if you still don’t get it.” Sousuke told him before he started putting on a shirt. No, not a shirt, a nice half-sleeves that accentuates his muscled arms. “Are you coming or you still need to pretty up?”

The older of the two threw the other a smirk and the latter responded with a glare.

Rin was too confused to absorb and react to all this so he took his own keys and the back he prepared earlier and turned to walk with Sousuke.


	6. Smile

            Sousuke woke up to the sound of Rin trying to change his clothes. The smell of booze is faint but present and amidst Rin’s cursing and hopping (“Damn, pants!”), the tinge of happiness is ringing in the redhead’s voice. Sousuke doesn’t need to turn to see the goofy smile painting his roommate’s face, the far-off look of his glassy eyes, and the flush that spreads from his chest crawling up to his neck, gracing his cheeks and blooming at his ears.

            The image he thought up brought memories from the past. He was first made aware that this smile of Rin was different from the other ones on the days both of them are close to jumping to their puberty. For although Rin smiles a lot, this type was a lot harder to bring out.

            They had been friends ever since he can remember and whatever Sousuke has, Rin would definitely also have. Not that there was something wrong with that but when the redhead’s birthday came, he realized that there is nothing that he has that he could give Rin. They are already past the stage where food and arcade are the limits of their joys. Still, since he knew that his bestfriend is expecting him to be there already, he took the giant cherry-bun he bought from his pocket-allowances and the biggest stag beetle he could find as the best options at the moment, then went to the Matsouka’s residence for the said birthday celebration.

            Although Rin was ecstatic with what he brought him and claimed that stag beetle was his best present amidst his piles, Sousuke could not shake off the feeling of disappointment in himself for failing to give the other boy the best of the bests. He does not know why he definitely has to but a boy approaching his teen years could only think things one at a time.

            Days have turned to weeks since then but Sousuke kept collecting the toys in his cereals that are from the movie they were both avid fans of. _He could miss a piece from the collection_ , he thought, _and I could be the one to give him_. Rin did ask for the figurine of the heroine one day and Sousuke had provided it for him, but the feeling of satisfaction did not descend upon him. It’s not enough.

            He even thought of letting the redhead win all of their swimming competitions and every limited soda flavoured ice cream they could find but a janken-pon spare seems to prove that the tiniest snide remark or the earliest formation of a smirk over those shark teeth could blind Sousuke of every thought but competition and victory. Rin does that to him. So this brings him back to his current problem, what does he have that could make Rin happy?

            The idea presented itself when the summer festivals came. They were both very excited and feeling adult-like, being allowed to roam the booths on their own at night time. They had both sworn each other to save up for the festival’s nights and they are now trying out everything they both redeemed worth their dimes. They are now running short of funds but very satisfied. This night was the event’s climax – the fireworks.

            Rin was bracing himself to squeeze through the crowds to get to the well known viewing spots when Sousuke was struck with a brilliant idea.

            He grabbed Rin by the wrist and started dragging him to a spot he alone knows; his secret spot. The redhead started to make violent protests but the dark-haired boy was too proud of himself to get distracted in reaching their destination.

            “Oi, Sou! What are you doing?! All the nice spots are probably filled by – oi! Are you listening?! We are just 15 minutes from the start of it! Are – are you actually trying to go home already?!”

            Sousuke was brought out off his stupor and let go of his friend. He must have been giving off his excited face for Rin’s annoyance morphed into curiosity when Sousuke gestured to an area with trees. He followed the teal-eyed until they managed past it and was surprised to find an empty spot amidst the thickness of green.

            “Hehe. I found this one time when my parents were not too engrossed with their work and we still came here as a family. They bought me a fox mask and I tried to ‘blend in’ as my mom put it.”

            “So cool!”

            Satisfaction and contentment flooded the brunette mind and all the past weeks thinking and agonizing was made worth it by Rin’s single line of appreciation.

            They had just managed to lie down on the grass when colours exploded before their eyes.

            Sousuke heard an audible gasp and turned over to look at Rin. His friend’s eyes seemed to pop into saucers and Sousuke knew that the next firework that went off was red due to all the redness surrounding his companion at the moment.

            Rin was beautiful. He had this awestruck look in his eyes that was seemed to be wrapped in a sort of glass, his cheeks were flushed and did Rin really have the lashes of a girl?

            Sousuke was too young then and really can’t put a finger on what he had felt at that moment. He was still growing up and was trying to learn, feelings and thought he had never had before were getting difficult to box and catalogue and simple things suddenly wasn’t simple anymore.

            But one thing was for sure; he will remember that smile and he is witnessing its tell-tale signs at the top bunk of their bed at an ungodly hour of the night.


End file.
